What is the opening Du'aa of salat?
The opening du'aa of salat, known as the opening supplication, is often recited after the Takbir al-Ihram (the opening takbir) in the prayer. Although the specific wording can vary among different traditions and schools of thought, it is common to start with "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdiKa wa tabaarak-asmuKa wa ta'aala jadduKa wa la ilaaha ghayruK," which translates to "Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You, and blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty, and there is no deity worthy of worship besides You."
In addition to this supplication, the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha is obligatory in every unit of prayer, as emphasized in various hadiths. For instance, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated: Whoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatiha), that prayer is defective by three counts and is not complete
Sahih Muslim 4:41. This highlights the importance of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha as part of the prayer ritual.
While the opening du'aa sets the tone for the prayer, the recitation of Al-Fatiha is central to the salat, making these components essential in the practice of Islamic prayer.
Sources
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Sahih Muslim 4:41
Sahih Muslim · Book 4, Hadith 41 · Narrated by Abu Huraira
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatiha), that prayer is defective by three counts and is not complete. It was said to Abu Huraira: We stand behind the Imam; what should we do? He said: Recite it quietly to yourself. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say that Allah the Exalted has said: "I have divided the prayer between Me and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he asks for. When the servant says 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds,' Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me.' When he says, 'The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate,' Allah says, 'My servant has extolled Me.' When he says, 'Master of the Day of Judgment,' Allah says, 'My servant has glorified Me.' And once He said: 'I entrust the affair to My servant.' When the servant says, 'You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help,' Allah says, 'This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.' When he says, 'Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray,' Allah says, 'This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.'
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